You have found your perfect property. Your offer has been accepted, and you have started imagining where your furniture will go and what colour you are painting the walls. Then your survey report arrives… Suddenly, you are reading words like “damp”, “deterioration” or “further investigation recommended”, and your excitement quickly turns to panic. Don’t worry. It is completely normal for a survey to identify issues with a property. In fact, it would probably be unusual for a surveyor to find absolutely nothing worth mentioning, especially in older properties. The important thing is understanding what the report findings actually mean and knowing what your options are.

Why have a survey?

A property survey is designed to help you understand the condition of the property that you intend to buy, before you commit to the purchase. Think of it as a health check for the property. While a property may look immaculate during the viewings, surveyors are experts and trained in spotting potential issues that are not always obvious. Their job is not to tell you whether or not you should buy the property, but to identify any issues, defects and maintenance concerns to ensure you can make an informed decision.

Surveys can look scary

One of the biggest surprises for a buyer is how alarming a survey report can seem. What you need to remember is a surveyor is a professional whose job is to highlight the information for you. As a result, the report can often contain cautious language and an extensive list of observations.

Understanding the severity of the issues

Not all findings in a survey are equal. They tend to fall under three categories:

Minor issues, such as worn sealant around a bath, minor cracks in plaster, loose guttering or weathered fences. These can often be addressed over time once you have moved into the property.

Moderate issues, such as damp problems, roof repairs, timber treatment or boiler concerns, you will likely want to understand the costs involved in putting these right.

Lastly, the serious issues. These may indicate more structural or safety concerns of the property, such as subsidence, structural movement, serious roof failure, significant drainage problems. These findings would certainly warrant further investigations.

What to do next?

Start by reading the report in full. Try not to focus solely on the highlighted defects. Look at the property as a whole. Speak to your surveyor; most surveyors will be happy to discuss their findings with you after issuing the report. This can be extremely valuable. Ask questions like: How serious is the issue? Is this common for properties of that age? How urgent is the action required?

A conversation can often provide that much-needed context and reassurance. Sometimes a surveyor may recommend further investigations; this doesn’t necessarily mean there is a major problem. It’s important to know that surveyors are not specialists in every area, therefore they may suggest that you obtain further reports from structural engineers, damp specialists or roofing contractors. Additional reports can certainly help clarify the extent of any issues and provide more accurate estimates of costs.

What role does the conveyancer play?

While we are not qualified to assess the physical condition of the property, we can advise on any legal issues identified within your survey report. For example, if the survey highlights any concerns such as missing planning permissions, the absence of Building Regulation approvals, structural alterations, extensions, or other works carried out to the property. We can investigate the legal position and advise you on any associated risks.

It is important to remember that a surveyor’s role is to advise on the property’s state and condition, whereas a conveyancer’s role is to advise on the legal aspects of the property transaction.

Final thoughts

It’s worth remembering that few properties will be perfect. Older properties will almost certainly show signs of age and wear. In many cases, a survey is simply to provide a useful list of maintenance issues that you may want to address in the future. The question to think about is whether you understand the issues, whether you can afford to address them, and are comfortable with proceeding with the property purchase.

Take time to understand the findings, seek further advice and discuss your concerns with your surveyor. Armed with the right information, you’ll be in a strong position to proceed, negotiate or continue your search for your dream home.

Remember, a survey isn’t there to scare you, it’s there to help ensure that you have all the information and reduce the risk of unwelcome surprises once you collect the keys!